Massage apparatus



June 22, `1948.

Filed Oct. 24. 1945 B. WANDEL MASSAGE APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I N VENTOR.

June 22,1948. .BWANDEL MASSAGE APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed O O..24, 1945 IN V EN TOR.

BY l

Patented June 22, 1948 carrito stares emr-:sr oFFlce MASSAGE APPARATUSBronislaw Wandel, Boston, Mass.

Application October 24, 1945, Serial No. 624,233

3 Claims. (Cl. 12S-51) This invention relates tc improvements in massageapparatus and it has for its object to provide animproved apparatus ofthe class indicated which will be particularly adapted for use inmassaging the neck oi a patient to activate and t stimulate the thyroidgland and in that manner counteract the chronic passive state of thegland which so often lies at the bottom of overweight.

To these ends I have provided an improved massage apparatus which, inthe preferred em- I lbodimrnt thereof, may be constructed andutiresorted to without departing from my invention as defined in theappended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view, partly broken away, of a, massage apparatusconstructed in accordance with this invention. I

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the apparatus shown in Figure l.

Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an end view of the take-up roll hereinafter described.

Figure 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a section on line 6 6 of Figure 1 Figure 7 illustrates analternative form of presser member.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to d, inclusive,of the drawings, comprises a base I adapted to rest iiatwise upon afloor,`

table or other suitable support capable of also supporting the body ofthe patient who lies thereon upon his back with his head supported bythe base as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1.

Upon its top side the base I0 is made with two rigid upstanding posts II and I2 which are spaced apart to receive between them the neck of thepatient which rests upon a neck-supporting cradle I3 consisting of aflexible band of textile fabric or other suitable material whoseopposite ends are securely connected to the posts II and I2,respectively.

One end of the cradle band I3 is fastened by screws I4 to the outer sideof post I2 and from these screws said band extends upwardly andlaterally across the tops of both posts II and I2 with its opposite endportion extending downwardly outside of post I I to a normally fixedhorizontal take-up roll I (Figs. 1, 2 and 3)?.

It is to be understood,

Roll I5 is provided at its opposite ends with trun-nions journaledwithin apertures provided in brackets 6-, I6, secured to post II and isalso formed with a longitudinal slot Il that is slightly longer than thewidth of cradle band I3, the end of the latter being inserted withinsaid slot after which the roll is manually rotated to wind there.- onthe end portion of ban-d I3 to set the intermediate portion lof the bandat the desired height.

One end of roll I5 is provided with a circular series of sockets i8(Fig. 4l) disposed concentrically with the axis of the roll, either ofsaid sockets being adapted to receive within it the reduced inner endportion of a threaded bolt I9 yby which the roll I5 is securely lockedagainst rotary movement under the influence of strains imposed upon bandI3 by the patient. This threaded boit is provided at its outer endwith acircular head by means of which said bolt is manually operated whenadjusting the cradle for each patient when such adjustment is desirableor necessary.

Pivotally mounted at 2| (Figs. 1 and 6) upon brackets 22 rigidly securedto posts II and I2 are tworelatively paralleli horizontal lever arms 23and 24 whose free end portions are pivotally and detachably connected tothe opposite ends of a link 25 (Figs` 1 and 2) by means of removablepivot pins 35 occupying apertures provided in the levers and links, eachlever being provided with a longitudinal row of apertures 21 so that thelink 25 may be adjusted toward and from the pintles 2|.

The link 25 has mounted thereon two spacedapart Vpresser members 28 eachof which is noi'- mally fixed in position on said link by afingeroperated set screw 29 so that it may be adjusted lengthwise of thelink thereby to -properly position it with respect to the neck of thepatient. Each presser member 28 is constructed with a flexible dependingarm 30 (Fig. 2) whose lower end portion occupies a position alongside ofthe neck of the patient.

Upon the top of base III there is provided a box-like housing 3| (Figs.1 and 2) within which is arranged an electric motor 32 that is mountedupon a base plate 33, said plate being fastened by screws to a side wallof the housing. Fixed on the shaft of motor 32 is a worm 34 in mesh witha worm gear 35 fast on a horizontal shaft 36 journaled in bearingsprovided on plate 33. This shaft 36 extends forwardly through the frontwall of the housing and, outside of the latter, is provided with a disk3l made with a plurality of. threaded holes 38 (Fig. 2) disposed atdierent distances from the aXis of shaft 36. Into one of these holestightly screwed a threaded wrist pin 39 by which .one end of aconnecting rod 40 is attached to the disk 31. The opposite end of rod 40is connected by a universal joint 4l with the lever arm 24.

It will be clear that while motor 32 is operating it acts through theconnections described to vibrate lever arm 24 which imparts endwisereciprocatory movements to link 25 and the latter reciprocates thepresser members 2li-3!) in a direction transversely with respect to theneck of the patient. This reciprocatory movement causes the pressermembers to alternately and yieldingly press laterally against theopposite sides of the front -portion of the neck therebyr alternatelycompressing and relaxing the gland structures with the object in view ofstimulating and activating the same.

An alternative Lform of presser member 28a is shown in Fig. 7 comprisingan apertured upper end portion or head that is fitted upon link25 and adepending rigid arm Sila that is provided at its lower end with atransverse threaded aperture into which is screwed a threaded shank l2projecting from one side of a metal disk 43. Secured to the oppositeside of this disk is a resilient pad [i4 of any suitable material suchas rubber, for example. A check nut t5 on shank 42 holds the padstructure against accidental displacement. Two off these members 28a maybe substituted `for the members 28 and xed in position upon link 25 bythumb screws such as that shown at 29 in Fig. 7. When properly installedthe pads lf3 will be disposed acing each other with the two members 28aspaced apart a distance appropriate to the size of the patients neck.

A make and break switch it and a rheostat dl (Fig. 1) are mounted uponthe rear wall of housing 3l and arranged in series in the circuit ofmotor 32 to provide for starting, stopping, and regulating the speed ofthe motor.

It will also be clear that by lshifting the wrist pin (Fig. 2) from onehole 3 8 to another, the amplitude of the reciprocatory movements oflink 25 and its presser members may be Varied.

In order to provide for application of the device to and removal fromthe patient one of the pivot pins 2G is removed so that the link 25 Withits presser members 28 may then be swung aside on the other pivot pin 23into an out-of-the-way position.

What I claim is:

l. A thyroid massage apparatus comprising a base which serves as a headrest for the pati-ent and is made with a pair of spaced-apart uprightsbetween which the head of the patient is disposed; a pair ofhorizontally disposed relatively parallel lever arms each of which ispivotally mounted upon one of said uprights to swing on a vertical axis;a link having its opposite ends lpivotally connected to said lever armsand supported by the latter in a horizontal position transversely abovethe neck of the patient; a pair of spaced-apart presser members Xed inpositions upon and depending from said link so that they areco-operatively disposed relatively to the opposite sides of the neck ofthe patient; an electric motor xed in (position wpon said base; meansfor controlling the operation of said motor, and means through whichsaid motor when operated acts to vibrate one of said lever arms therebyto reciprocate said link and presser members on arcuate paths.

2. Athyroid massage apparatus according to claim 1 wherein one end ofsaid link is detachably connected with its lever arm thereby to permitsaid link and presser members to be swung aside on the other pivotalconnection into an out-ofthe-way lposition to provide -for the admissionand removal of the patient.

3. A thyroid massage apparatus constructed in accordance with claim 1wherein neck-supporting means is provided comprising a band of flexiblesheet material providing a cradle for the neck of the patient; meansfastening one end of said band to one of said uprights; a take-up rollrotatably mounted upon the other upright of said pair and with which theopposite end of said band is connected so that rotative adjustment ofsaid roll adjusts the cradle portion of the band vertically, and meansAfor securing said roll in its adjusted position.

' BRONISLAW WANDEL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record ln the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 40,865 Taylor Dec. 8, 18632,024,325 Allen Dec. 17, 1935 2,128,796 Barbour Aug. 30, 1938 FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country Date 6,487 Sweden May 6, 1895 393,353 GermanyApr. l, 1924 OTHER REFERENCES System of Physiologie Therapeutics, S. S.Cohen, published by P. Blackistons Son & Co., Philadelphia, Pa., vol. 7,page 64.

